Figleaves wins fashion export award
Online lingerie retailer wins etailing accolade
June 13 2003
Figleaves.com has won the first E-tailer Award at the prestigious UK Fashion Export Awards.
The London-based retailer, now Europe’s leading branded online lingerie retailer, was presented with the award by the Princess Royal at the annual ceremony.
Figleaves won the newly-introduced award category after establishing its US website. Other finalists in the category included Shoe-shop.com and Lands’ End Direct Merchants.
The awards also saw Vivienne Westwood named Export Designer of the Year. Clothes, accessories, hosiery and perfume created by the former High Priestess of Punk are sold in stores across Europe and Asia. The company is now building the brand in Russia and has plans to enter the Chinese market.
Paul Alger, executive director, UK Fashion Exports, said “Vivienne Westwood has managed to maintain financial independence while continuing to grow the overseas business and strengthen the presence of the brand worldwide. Along with other winners, the company has overcome difficult economic trading conditions by being creative and targeting new markets.”
Sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland, other winners receiving awards from the Princess Royal were: Accessories – wedding shoe specialist Rainbow Club; Childrenswear – luxury childrenswear company Cashmere Cause; Export Newcomer – boudoir lingerie label Fleur T; Intimate Apparel – women’s nightwear supplier Chaslyn; Menswear – shirt specialist Ben Sherman; Small Business – handmade knitwear designers Muir & Osborne; and Womenswear – lifestyle-led designer Eskandar.
The Gold Award, given to a British company which has shown outstanding exporting performance over the past three years, was won by Drake’s, the UK’s biggest handmade tie company.
David Whitlock, corporate director of The Royal Bank of Scotland said: “British fashion brands are among the strongest in the world and British designers have a wealth of talent and ideas. At a time when manufacturing has been under pressure, and with caution about UK consumer confidence in 2003, export markets may appear more attractive than ever.”
